Secrets of the Night
by Depps My Husband
Summary: Nick's story is finally told! Summary is first chapter. FIRST CHAPTER UP!
1. Prologue : Back of Book

**HIS FATHER WAS THE MOST EVIL BEING THAT EVER LIVED.**

Nick Gautier was thrown head first into the Dark-Hunter world when he was only  
fourteen, and he'd thought he'd seen it all. Until his life went to hell and back and he  
discovered he was the last of the Malachai-the strongest, most primal ancient power of all time.

**SHE HOLDS THE BALANCE OF THE UNIVERSE IN HER HANDS.**

Marissa Hunter grew up snapping her fingers and getting what she wanted. But ever  
since she laid eyes on the Dark-Hunter, Ambrose, she would give up everything  
she ever knew to fall head over heels in love with him.

**THE SECRETS REVEALED CAN SAVE HUMANITY AS WE KNOW IT.**

When Nick finds out he's falling hard for his ex-bosses daughter, and Acheron, his sworn  
enemy's, god-child, he's sure that his life is over. But since his Mom's death over  
twenty years ago, Marissa's the only person who ever cared about him-or so it seemed.  
Being with her means making a truce with Ash, and that's one thing he swore he'd never do.

Finally Nick's story is told! Taking place in Future New Orleans, around two decades since Cherise's death.

This page will be updated throughout the story FYI. This is my first Dark-Hunter fan fiction, but not my first fan fiction. I know what's going to happen, and almost have the ending finished with this. A LOT of this story is written out, but there's so much more that isn't, so I'm still working on it. Give me some feedback if you're interested or not and I'll get the first chapter out. Just like every other author, feedback and comments are inspiration and motivation, so keep 'em coming :)

Currently this story is rated teen but once the well... you know... happens, i'm bumping this back to mature rating. Even though the language is probably rated R, but hey, if you're here reading a DH fan fic, it's not like you haven't read the originals.


	2. Chapter 1

Olympus was quiet today. Never good news when it was quiet up here. Trouble was brewing. At least over the past decade, that was what Nick had picked up on. The war with Azmodea was still in a transition phase, which kept Nick in hiding. Now being called Ambrose, he kept a low profile, and barely even went home anymore.

"Oooh, _Nicky…_"

Ugh. Those two words alone were enough to make him transport himself back to New Orleans and get away from the bitchy red head who ruined his life.

Her hand set on his shoulder and he quickly shrugged it away before pacing around her room. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?"

Artemis, in all her beauty and glory… "Guess old habits die easy." …Was as dumb as a brick.

Nick ground his teeth. "Die **hard**. Old habits—ya know, forget it. I need to get out of here."

She eyed him curiously. "Get out? Like where? You can't wander the halls of Olympus."

"I don't have to stay here. I'm not bound to this place." He made his point clear. "And I'm not bound to you, either."

Those words always cut her deeply. It was a polite reminder that he wasn't what Acheron was to her and never would be. He was smarter than that. He took up her offer for friendship after Ash's wedding to Tory, and as the years drug on, he regretted it ever since. In the beginning it wasn't so bad, but now…

"Well going to your home would be suicide. Noir's had New Orleans marked looking for you for decades." Artemis so snottily pointed out. She never wanted him to leave, and it drove him nuts.

Letting out a deep sigh, he tried to keep his cool. "I don't care anymore. I can't stand it here, and ya know, I'm not so sure that he doesn't have this place marked too." Nick looked her straight in the eye, "And even if he does send one of his minions to get me, bring it on! It's not like I'm afraid of them. I'm not afraid of anybody."

His words not being anything she'd never heard before, went in one ear and out the other. She looked at him curiously. "What makes you say that someone on Olympus is on Noir's side?"

"I would bet my life on it that someone here is his inside source." Nick confided in her, but she only blew him off as if he spewed nonsense.

"You'd bet your life on anything, why should I take your word?" Good to know after Ash left her that she grew compassion. Not.

The door to her temple opened and Apollo walked in. He and Nick cast their macho-guy glaring between one another. "Oh look. The Malachai's still here."

Nick quickly threw a smirk over his face before sarcastically spitting out, "Funny, Apollo, we were just talking about douche bags. Your ears must have been ringing."

"Sister when ever are you going to take out the trash? I smell his Cajun stench all over Olympus and I'm really getting sick of it."

"Well I've had my fair share of living out of the sun for quite some time now. Why don't you just end your sufferings and kill yourself, and make my world a better place." Nick flashed a smile before walking across the room to gather his things together. "Can you kick your brother out now?"

"She doesn't tell me what to do." Apollo spit out, venom lining his voice. "Don't you sister."

Artemis looked up at him, but didn't say a word. Nick saw the fear in her eyes but wasn't going to comment. He didn't care enough to get in between the two of them. "Don't take it personal, O Great Sun God, but I'm splitting anyway."

"Oh what a shame…" Apollo sneered, eying Nick up and down.

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Artemis asked, "You're going to get yourself killed."

Apollo beamed at her words. "Ah, one less Malachai to worry about."

Nick ignored him. "I'm going back home, Artie. I need to see some familiar faces before I lose my sanity up here." He looked to Apollo, "Or before I decide to snap my fingers and kill your brother."

Apollo stood up straighter, crossing his arms over his chest, and glaring at Nick. He knew the truth, how easy Nick could kill him, and how much he didn't care if the world got destroyed in the process.

She pouted, poking her bottom lip out and crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't see what's wrong with hanging out with me."

Now he rolled his eyes. "Good bye, Artemis. I won't be gone long. I just have to get off this mountain. I have to… I have to go."

And with that, he was gone. And Artemis was alone. Well, except for Apollo's presence. "Is he feeding off you still?"

"That's none of your business." Artemis threw back without thinking. Apollo was in her face instantly and she was shrinking back, afraid. He took hold of her arm, gripping it hard. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

The streets were still familiar, even though Nick hadn't been here in over three years, it was like he never left. The music still the same, the smell, the tourists, everything. And it saddened him. He missed his home, his friends. All his life was about now was plotting Acheron's death and making sure Noir didn't posses him. He'd shit bricks before he ever let that bastard yank his chain.

As Nick walked through the Quarter, various sites caught his eye and memory upon memory filled his mind. All the New Orleans Dark-Hunters still lived here, and he missed them all. But to call them up after all these years… He couldn't face them. He couldn't face his past. Their loyalty lied with Acheron over the monster he was. Nick's gaze caught a glimpse of Café Du Monde and a memory of Talon and his beignets came to mind. A beignet sounded pretty good too. Maybe he'd just grab one and leave. Go to his house and kick back there for a while until he got a sense about Noir tracking him again. Yeah, that sounded like a good enough plan.

Standing out like a sore thumb in the early summer heat, wearing a long black coat and more dark clothing, Nick missed his days of his Hawaiian shirts. Hell, then he'd really stick out.

_ Just go grab your beignet, and go home. You don't want to start something with all these tourists today._

As he walked across the Quarter, little did Nick know that with each step he took, the closer he got to where his life would change forever.

"I'll make the voodoo doll, and instead of tiny needles, we'll stab steak knives in the bastard!"

"How 'bout a cleaver?"

"Ooo! Just rip that sucker in half with a chainsaw!"

"Guys!" Marissa Hunter held back her laughter as best she could as her friends threw ideas back and forth about what to do about her ex-boyfriend from college last year.

Sitting in Café Du Monde, the small group of four had been catching up for over an hour about their past year in school. "You joke about that voodoo stuff, and one of these days it's going to bite you in the ass."

Stephanie, her best friend since elementary school, wiggled her eyebrows up and down. "Well, who's doing the biting? Ooo baby, make me a voodoo doll and hand me over to that waiter over there. Mmmhmm."

"Steph!" Marissa looked around hoping no one had heard her loud, obnoxious friend. "You're unbelievable."

"Risi, lighten up," Janet laughed as she sipped her soda. "You should be more like your cousin, Lizzie."

If there was one thing Marissa couldn't stand, it was being compared to her cousin, Elizabeth. Lizze, who was five years younger than her, was just as cooky as her Aunt Tabitha. Where Marissa grew up trying to hide the fact that she was as paranormal as they come, Lizzie followed in her mother's footsteps tracking the undead and hunting vampires throughout the town. Everyone in her school thought she was as nuts as they came, but it was normal for Marissa who grew up with both Tabitha and Lizzie.

"Really? Lizzie?" Vanessa Alexander put her two cents in now. Vanessa and Marissa grew up together as family friends for their fathers had been best friends for over thousands of years. Vanessa was two years older than everyone else, but was still in school, attempting to be a lawyer, as was Marissa. However, where Vanessa was in Harvard, Marissa took her classes at Tulane. She was also one of her few friends that new what she was and what world she lived in. "Lizzie couldn't have done half the damage that Risi did to Collin."

Janet was the first one anxious for the new gossip. "Ooo, what'd you do?"

That was a difficult one to answer. The guy had finally gotten her to sleep with him, told her he loved her, and a week later she'd found him in bed with not one, but two other girls. However, before she had a chance to say a word… Ash showed up. He made the girls disappear—without recognition of how it happened—and threw Collin against the wall and held him there as he threatened the poor boys life if he ever cheated on another woman again.

Although Collin didn't remember the girls disappearing from his bed, and being thrown—_supernaturally_—against the wall, he did remember Acheron in his face making him piss his pants in fear of him. He went to apologize to Marissa the next day, but it was then that she took out her own frustrations and anger out on him and since then he would only pass by giving a friendly nod and quickly looking the other way.

"It was nothing big. Just chewed him out, made him feel all little and deflated his ego." Marissa supplied, catching Stephanie's knowing gaze over the rim of her glass as she took a drink. Stephanie was her only completely pure human friend that knew about the Dark-Hunter world. She also knew what Ash did to the poor guy, but Janet… She would have to live without that knowledge. "So… Steph, what's your horror story for the year."

She smirked. "My horror story is that I spent a whole year without getting asked out once!" The sarcasm was evident in her tone, however the story was true. A bookworm since junior high, she always put her studies first, and this was her last year of college to be a computer engineer. She couldn't afford to mess up. "Although now that finals are over, I wouldn't mind a voodoo doll of that waiter over there to do whatever I command." Her eyebrows wiggled. "Mmmhmm, baby."

Marissa rolled her eyes. "You joke around..."

"And again. So long as he's doing the biting I don't care." Stephanie supplied.

The distraction of the bell ringing above the door to the café, brought Marissa's attention away from her friends and onto the gorgeous guy who walked in the door. Dressed in a long black trench coat and black biker clothes, the guy stood out like snowstorm in summer. He looked like someone her Aunt Tabitha used to hunt vampires with. _If only she knew…_

However, thanks to being born, not only of a Dark-Hunter, but a sorceress, Marissa wasn't just a regular run of the mill squire. She was one of the most powerful beings in the universe, and that was exactly how she could tell that the guy who walked through the door, was not fully human. As he crossed the room to get up in line at the counter, she could see the aura of power that surrounded him and it spiked her curiosity off the charts. "Did you guys need anything? I'm going to get something to drink."

They were all too busy in discussing all the naughty things they wanted to do with the waiter, that they hadn't even noticed her attention on the even more gorgeous guy that was in the café. Before waiting anymore, she got out of her seat and walked over to get in line behind him.

Standing probably a good eight inches taller than her, the mans dark brown hair fell just above his shoulders and hid his face from her. Closing her eyes, she tried to read him, but got nothing in return. That was new. She could feel his powers practically radiating from his skin, but couldn't spot a single one off of him. New, and totally discomforting.

Nick ordered his beignet and coffee, waiting patiently for the young girl behind the counter to get his order so he could leave. It was then he took the time to observe his surroundings. A habit he developed since finding out Noir wanted him more than anything and would stop at nothing until he claimed him. He didn't go anywhere without knowing his surroundings one hundred percent.

Marissa tapped her foot impatiently, her curiosity of who this guy was getting the best of her. Not being able to wait any further, she went to stand by his side, to pretend to be looking at a magazine of something, but didn't get too far before Nick got his order and collided right into her. A burning feeling came over her arms and a hot dampness fell over her shirt, but both sensations were as gone as quickly as they came as two strong hands grabbed her by her shoulders.

The collision took him by complete surprise as he dropped his beignet and felt his coffee spill all over the girl before him. Thinking quickly, he absorbed the coffee back into his cup, but unfortunately, the beignet had to rest in pieces beneath his boots. That's what he got for thinking he could just walk back into his old life and have no consequences. For all he knew, Artemis made the girl run into him. Looking down, shock crossed his features as a pair of familiar deep blue eyes stared up at him.

"I'm so sorry," She spit out, as she looked up, and gasped at the blackness of his eyes. Her eyes quickly traveled from his eyes to a familiar tattoo on his cheek. "I…"

"You don't need to apologize. It was an accident." He let go of her and set his coffee aside. "Are you okay?"

Marissa nodded and with no self control left, she felt her eyes moving toward the tattoo again. She could swear it was the exact same ones that her father and Ash had. "I was young and stupid."

She looked at him curiously. "Excuse me?"

"The tattoo." He supplied. "A college dare."

"I see… Did it hurt?"

Nick shrugged. "Didn't feel a thing."

Oh, so he was _that _guy. The tough, no pain no game, macho guys from her school she couldn't stand. Also all of her father's friends were that way.

"I don't think I caught your name." Nick said, as he looked her over noticing familiar traits he couldn't quite place. Her dark brown hair held auburn streaks that made him want to put his face in the crook of her neck and inhale her shampoo. Those blue eyes she possessed were ready to possess him, and he was re-thinking the whole coming to town would be a mistake thing. Maybe he could take this girl home…

She looked him straight in the face. "You didn't catch it because I didn't say it."

Nick smiled, showing off his dimples and Marissa felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Oh good lord the guy had a smile to die for.

"I'm Ambrose." He introduced himself, holding his hand out, waiting for Marissa to shake it.

Looking down at his hand extended to her, she was hesitant, but reached out and shook it anyway. "Ambrose." He nodded. "That's different."

Nick shrugged before pulling his hand away. "So I take it yours is a common name?"

She smiled while drawing her hand back in and feeling a strange emptiness in her palm. "It's Marissa."

Why were warning bells going off in his head, and why did that name sound so familiar? There was something about this girl that he knew he should just leave be, but he couldn't. Something was drawing him to her. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Marissa smiled bashfully before glancing back to her table and seeing her friends gawking at the scene, or maybe just Ambrose in general. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, chere." He replied, looking past her to her friends and then looking back to her. "Well, I don't think you should keep your friends waiting any longer now." He held his hand out, palm up. "It was nice to meet you, Marissa."

She set her hand in his and Nick brought her knuckles up to his lips and placed a soft kiss upon them. Letting her hand slip out of his was the hardest thing she'd done since studying for her law school finals two weeks ago. "It was nice to meet you, Ambrose."

He tipped his head and headed toward the door. "Have a nice life, my lady."

And with no further words, he passed through the crowd and walked out of her life. It was a good thirty seconds before she came back to reality and watching where he had walked out of the door. Returning to her friends, she sat down and retold the little run in she had with him.

"And you didn't ask for his number!" Stephanie practically shouted. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know…" Janet shook her head, "The guy kind of looked like a drug dealer, don't you think?"

"If that's the case, I'm definitely addicted." Stephanie leaned back in her seat. "I can't believe you just let a catch like that walk out of your life."

Marissa shook her own head. "I can't either… But hey, if it was meant to be…"

Vanessa reached out and touched her friends shoulder. "Sweetie, you're at the beginning of a new summer. You're going to get over Collin once and for all because he'll be the last thing on your mind. I mean, you have that job you're starting this week, and girl, you'll have so much fun, finding a guy will be the last thing on your mind."

"Where you going to be workin' at?" Janet asked.

"My Dad got me a job over at the bar on Ursulines. Sanctuary."

"The biker bar?" She was aghast.

Marissa nodded. "I'm going to waitress for the summer."

"You sure that's safe?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes at Janet. "Girl, you don't even think the doctor's office is sanitary."

"This place is a biker bar we're talkin' about!"

Vanessa smiled before saying, "Yeah, well rumor has it that the real live Cupid goes there all the time. And Psyche."

Marissa glared at Vanessa, but that didn't stop her. Because both of their own heritage, they had to take Greek mythology in college, as did Steph and Janet.

"Har, har." Janet said, "I'm not that stupid to believe in that kind of stuff. Besides, Cupid as a biker? You really have lost it, 'Nessa."

Vanessa and Marissa shared a look, and neither girls could help but burst out in a fit of giggles. Stephanie draped an arm over a clueless Janet's shoulder and said, "Just wait till we all go out to eat there on Risi's first day."

Janet looked mortified. "_Go_ there?" She bowed her head, knowing after many years of hanging out with these girls that there really wasn't much that they couldn't convince her of doing. But as Steph continued to scare Janet, and Vanessa talked her nonsense, Marissa's mind drifted to the mysterious man she ran into. Ambrose. She had a feeling she was going to have a hard time getting over this one…

Marissa found her mom folding clothes in the laundry room, humming her and Kyrian's song, to herself like the love-sick teenager she reminded her of. What Marissa wouldn't give to find a love like that. Turning to grab another pair of Kyrian's pants, she caught a glimpse of Marissa in the doorway. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hey Mom." She walked further into the room. "Want some help?"

"Sure. I thought you were spending the day in the Quarter with Stephanie and everyone."

Marissa shrugged. "I was. But I'm gonna spend all summer with them, ya know?"

"Want some Mom time?" Amanda smiled.

"Maybe just a little…" She smirked and gave her Mom a loving nudge. "Mom, you know Dad's tattoo he has on his shoulder?"

Amanda continued to fold clothes as she looked to her daughter. "What about it?"

"I was wondering what it stood for." Marissa's tone was casual as she spoke. "If there was any meaning behind it."

"Any meaning behind what?"

Both women looked over their shoulders as Kyrian walked in the room. He walked up and placed a kiss on top of Marissa's head. "Hey Daddy."

"Our daughter wants to know what your tattoo stands for." Amanda explained, sharing a curious look with her husband.

He looked hesitant, before looking to Marissa. "Well, there's really no harm in telling. That double bow and arrow was the symbol for Artemis. The Godess who made me a Dark-Hunter."

"And every Dark-Hunter has on. 'Cause, doesn't Uncle Ash have one too?"

"Uncle Ash does have one." Amanda explained. "He was your Dad's boss."

"Yeah, I knew that. I just… I saw someone today who had the same tattoo. Does that mean he's a Dark-Hunter too?"

Kyrian looked hesitant. "What do you mean, you _saw _it?"

Marissa sighed, "This guy came into Café Du Monde today, and I saw that he had the same tattoo as you."

"Okay, but where did you see the tattoo?" Kyrian pressed.

Amanda looked concerned. "Honey, what's wrong?"

Kyrian's voice was firm, as he tried to hold back his anger. "Did you sleep with this guy, Marissa?"

"Kyrian!"

"What? No!" Marissa was aghast. "Dad I swear."

Kyrian caught Amanda's shocked gaze that demanded answers for his outburst. "I'm asking because the brand isn't supposed to be shown. It's supposed to be hidden, so people can't pick us out in the crowd, so for Risi to have seen it, worries me." He looked back to his daughter, "So I ask again, did this guy come on to you?"

"No. The tattoo was on his face, plain as day. I bumped into him on accident up in front of the counter. The tattoo stood out like a sore thumb."

Kyrian looked almost more mortified as realization dawned on him of whom it could be.

"But it was daylight right? Dark-Hunters can't be out in sunlight." Amanda pointed out, now arguing if she saw one at all. "It must have been a coincidence."

However, the look on Kyrian's face said otherwise, and had Marissa even more curious about her encounter with Ambrose earlier. "Was it, Daddy?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Dark-Hunter's can't go out in daylight. If it were a real Dark-Hunter he'd have combust into flames."

But Marissa knew that her father knew something. Unfortunate to her, she couldn't read _his_ thoughts. She just had to go on natural instinct.

"What aren't you telling me?" Amanda asked. A chuckle escaped her lips, "Wait, let me rephrase that. What aren't you telling our daughter, because you are definitely not leaving me out of the loop."

Kyrian ran his hands through his hair before collapsing his body to their bed. "I have an idea of who she's talking about—if she's telling the truth and not sleeping with whoever this guy is."

"I don't think she'd lie. Besides, Ash would have known if that were the case and had already taken care of the problem. I'm sure."

"Yeah, and the fact that that hasn't happened leaves me to believe it's even worse than I thought."

"Well who do you think it is?"

He sighed. "It _is_ a Dark-Hunter. But more powerful, powerful to the point that daylight won't kill him. That only very ancient powers can destroy him, and if that were to ever happen, the world as we know it would be over."

Amanda looked afraid. "Ash wouldn't let that happen though. It takes a lot to be more powerful than Ash right?"

Kyrian laughed at the irony of her statement. "True. Ash would do anything he could to not let this guy die. Because if this guy died, so would Ash."

Realization dawned on Amanda. "She ran into Nick."

He nodded. "She ran into Nick."

Nick couldn't get the girl's eyes out of his mind. There was such familiarity in that haunting gaze when her blue eyes stared into his black ones. Marissa. She definitely was too precious of a soul to have been introduced to his life. Such a creature like him shouldn't have infected her. But those eyes… Eyes of knowing, when they saw his tattoo. Eyes that would haunt him for quite sometime, he knew it. And how had she snuck up on him so? How did he not sense her so close in his aura? Was she an enemy? She recognized the symbol on his cheek, he knew it. So was she a squire? Something wasn't adding up, and still even though his warning bells were going off and he didn't know if she was friend of foe... He couldn't stop thinking about kissing her, of other naughty things he wanted to do.

"I'm such a fuck up." He stared himself down in the mirror before him, as memories flooded his mind. Memories of selling his soul to Artemis…

"You were thinking of me…"

Speak of the fuckin' devil.

"Not pleasant thoughts, I guarantee." Nick replied, not bothering to hide the venom in his tone. Artemis didn't care. She walked up and wrapped her arms around him, her fingers slowly trailing over his shirtless torso.

Ash had one thing right. She was a bitch goddess. "What do you want?"

"You." She giggled. "What's got your socks in a bunch?"

He stared at her through the mirror. "Panties in a bunch?"

"Yeah. Whatever, you know what I meant."

Nick shrugged out of her hold, not caring as she pouted from his absence. "You'd think being a goddess you'd have the power of common slang. If not, then don't try to use it."

Artemis scoffed. "You're definitely in a mood. No wonder you and Acheron were such good friends."

Nick hissed, barring his fangs at the mention of Ash's name. "You know better than to talk about him in front of me!" He threatened. "You don't own me like you did him, I'm more powerful than you, and don't need your help at all! Don't make me do something you'd regret in the end!"

Unphased by his tirade, she yawned. "If you kill me, you'd destroy the world."

Nick laughed. "I don't give two shits if I destroy the world. I've wanted to die for decades._ Decades,_ Artemis! I just have a score to settle before that happens. So don't think my threats are empty. I kill Ash, and his Mom is released from her imprisonment and guess who she goes for first?"

Speechless, her expression was contrite, knowing not to push him any further. But Nick went on anyway. "She's going for you and your brother's throat."

"And you would end the world?" She asked, actually sounding remorseful.

"The only person I ever cared about—that **_ever_**cared about me, that ever stood by my side was killed, murdered, because of Apollo's race. So I don't give a rats ass about him. My mom risked her life for me, gave up her life, and did any and everything possible to make me happy. She is the only person to every truly love me and now she's dead. No one has ever done half the shit she did for me, so fuck everyone else. I'm through with this shit."

"Nick—"

"That's** not **my name!" He growled. "Nick died over twenty years ago."

And with that, he left the room, left Artemis standing in his bathroom, knowing this was definitely not the time to argue with him.


	3. Chapter 2

It had been five days since Marissa had her run in with Ambrose. The weekend came, the weekend went and all she concluded with was, he wasn't a Dark-Hunter. She'd met plenty before, and could sense their psychic abilities they possessed. She didn't get shit from Ambrose. Which meant he could be like her and be able to shield his powers from people, but that was saying something, because she could do some kick-ass things.

Right now, she was doing her first shift as a waitress at Sanctuary. Her father and Ash took her in and introduced her to Aimee and Dev Peltier-the Were-Hunters who owned the bar. The bar looked like it was run by a bunch of regular human beings, but really… They were just a bunch of shape shifters, and the Peltiers in particular were bears.

Dev made a promise to both Ash and Kyrian that no one would touch her. She was treated as they treated Aimee. No one touched, or looked at her. Except for Aimee's mate, Fang. Aimee took Marissa aside though, and promised that she'd have the time of her life working here, spite how high maintenance Ash and her father were making it out to be.

Three hours into her shift, Marissa was having a good time. She was slowly but surely getting the hang of it, and between taking orders and going back into the kitchen, the bears were highly entertaining. Around ten 'o clock however, she got a visit from her younger brother.

She was walking up to get the empty plates from a table that had just emptied when her phone went off. A text message from NJ.

_Look up._

She did and saw NJ standing in the shadows, not looking pleased. He crossed the room toward her, and Marissa held her breath knowing this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. Standing at about, six foot, NJ moved through the crowd towering over half the crowd. His blond hair was short, but bangs hid his eyes, that she knew were angry.

"We need to talk."

She looked bored. "Nice to see you too, bro. What's it been? Since Christmas?"

"Cut the bullshit, Marissa. Who's this guy that came onto you?" NJ spit out, not bothering to hide his anger.

Marissa put her hands on her hips. "Are you kidding me? Seriously? No. I'm not doing this."

She turned to leave, but her brother grabbed her by the arm and forced her to stay. "You know better. Dark-Hunters-"

But he was frozen in place. "Let. Go. Now." He glared to her, and she glared back, knowing she had made him go from pissed off, to furious for paralyzing him.

* * *

Dev Peltier stood guard ominously in front of the door to Sanctuary, his wife Samia, next to him whispering stuff in his ear. Occasionally he would smirk, but kept his threatening pose nonetheless.

As if he could sniff out the trouble coming, Dev turned in the direction of Nick rounding the corner. A smirk covered his face.

"Bear." Nick grumbled as he walked past the two. He looked to Sammie. "Still keeping his ass in check, I hope?"

A large grin covered crossed her features. "You know it. Where've you been Malachai?"

"Around. A lot of time to kill when you're never gonna die, ya know?"

"Don't rub it in," Dev said, "You're making me jealous. Ya know I'm not immortal over here."

Nick nodded Sammie's way. "And you gave up all those years for this guy. Bet he hogs the bed and snores like a mother."

"Check that tone, Gautier, I don't have to let you in." Dev threatened.

"Yeah, ooo, big scary bear, almost as scary as the big bad wolf." He smirked, "Almost."

Before anymore insults could be thrown back and forth Nick nodded a good-bye and headed inside. As usual the bar was full of people, locals and tourists. Aimee was going about taking orders, and Fang was busy keeping his eye on the guys in the bar, making sure no one played any grab ass with his girl.

"Gautier!" It was Remi, one of Dev's identical quads. "How's it going man? Long time no see."

Nick was ready to reply when someone caught his eye. The girl from the café. Marissa. "Hol… Hold that thought." Nick said as he pushed his way past the bear and toward the girl. She worked here? Did that mean she was in on his world? Now even more curious about her, he worked his way through the crowded club and almost reached her until…

Another guy came up to her. Nick stopped dead in his tracks. Maybe it was better this way. The guy looked like he had something going for him. Tall, blond, handsome… And now rough handling her. "Shit."

Nick didn't hesitate to cross the bar as quickly as possible, reaching Marissa, he gently moved her out of the way of the Daimon and didn't hesitate to knock the guy senseless.

Marissa was in shock. Where the hell had Ambrose come from? And why was he beating up her brother? Who was paralyzed… "Shit," She mumbled before releasing him.

"Max!" Fang shouted, as all the members of Sanctuary took position, used to fights breaking out. The only concern was making sure the humans didn't remember. That was why the dragon who slept in the attic resided in Sanctuary. He could fog the memories of the humans in the bar so they could never recall all the weird shit that happens.

"Nick, no!" Aimee yelled, hurrying to the scene of the fight.

Nick didn't listen as he grabbed a blade he had hidden in his belt, ready to stab the Daimon dead in the chest.

Taking another punch in the jaw off balanced his footing, just pissed NJ off even more, and when Nick took the time to grab the blade, gave him just enough time to ready himself for the battle to be.

"Bring it on, you son of a bitch!" the guy snarled catching Nick by the wrist before the blade could stab into his chest.

"Nick, stop!" Fang yelled, closing in on the fight, and grabbing Nick around the waist and pulling him away.

"What the hell is going on?" Dev roared, hurrying inside with Sammie right beside him.

"This fuck head attacked me out of nowhere!"

Nick was ready to lose his temper. Had that much changed in the few years he'd been gone that they let Daimon scum into Sanctuary? "I have an oath to uphold to terminate Daimon vermin like you!"

The guy looked around at the fellow workers who had broken up the fight. "Is this guy for real? Man, Artemis is picking out the dumbest of the dumb, I tell ya. I'm not a Daimon, dumbass."

Nick looked around to see the truth. He shrugged his hold out of Fangs arms and looked at Marissa who stared at Nick like he'd lost his mind. "Well, then you should learn to treat the lady better, and I wouldn't look at you as a threat."

The guy looked over to Marissa and then back to Nick. "It's none of your business how I treat my sister, you piece of shit! So stay out of my business."

Nick looked to Marissa and saw the truth. It was just her brother… Fine. Whatever. If he thought the girl was off limits before, then she was definitely off limits now. Her brother wanted to gut him for sure. Without saying another word, Nick turned on his heel and hurried out the backdoor.

Marissa let out a deep breath as her eyes followed Ambrose disappearing through the crowd. Her brother bitching brought her back to reality, however.

"See what I was trying to tell you, Risi! Perfect example about how stupid they are!"

She turned on him so quick, he jumped as she got in his face. "Go home, Nick! This is my first day here, and you've probably just got me fired for being an asshole, so you better get the hell out of here before I send you somewhere you won't enjoy at all."

Pissed off, he obeyed her threat before throwing his hands up and turning on his heel to go through the crowd and leave her be.

Marissa let out a deep aggravated breath, before turning around and bumping right into Aimee. Shock covered her face, as she looked up at her unhappy boss. "Aimee, I'm…"

Aimee held up her hand. "I'm going to pretend, just this once, that none of that ever happened. I know it wasn't your fault, but I don't want that type of stuff going on all the time."

Nodding her head, she didn't say a word. "If you want to go take a break, it's fine by me. Clear your head okay?"

She nodded her head again before looking in the direction that Ambrose disappeared to. The back door? Hurrying over to the hallway, she looked around to see that no one could see her, before she disappeared from the hallway and teleported herself to the back alley. Thankful for her, she saw Ambrose not too far away…

* * *

The humidity in the night air hit him like a ton of bricks, but he wanted to get as far away from this place as possible. Go home and down a bottle of whiskey, something to end this horrible night. But Nick couldn't get as far as the end of the alley before someone's hand landed on his shoulder. Quickly and terrifyingly so, Nick turned around to face whomever was dumb enough to follow after him.

Nick turned on her with such a fierce attitude, Marissa gasped, but quickly got a hold of herself. No one intimidated her, but this guy had surprised her more than she had expected so far.

"Oh… I didn't think it was you." Nick turned on to keep walking, but Marissa grabbed his arm to stop him. "What!" He turned angrily again to face her.

Marissa matched his anger, throwing her hands on her hips and glaring at him. "I came out here to thank you! But now I'm not so sure I should since you're being such an ass to me when I did nothing to you."

He laughed at her. "Thank me? For what? For being an idiot? Ya know I have these intact instincts that let me know if it's a Daimon or not and…"

"It's okay. I'm actually flattered that you did that for me." Marissa told him. "My brother was just trying to scare a confession out of me. And you're right. He should have treated me better. Thank you for stepping in and defending me."

Marissa reached out and touched his arm. Nick didn't reject her. Shockingly, he just stared back into her eyes and wished this moment could last forever.

"I should have let you be." Nick said, his voice barely a whisper. Not knowing what possessed him to do so, Nick reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

It might have been easier to let go if she hadn't felt so good under his touch.

It might have been easier to let go if she hadn't leaned into his hand.

If she didn't look so delectable as her eyes closed and she breathed him in.

If she didn't open her eyes and look almost lovingly into his.

Like she cared. Like she could actually _try_ to love him.

"Ambrose," She breathed, almost like a calling for help. Nick couldn't control it anymore. His sanity slipping, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was gentle, and nice. His lips moved slowly against her own, feeling ecstatic that she was kissing him back, and moving in closer. The hand holding his arm stayed, but the other reached up behind his neck as Nick placed his arms on her waist and pulled her against him. Their tongues danced and Nick couldn't remember a kiss from a stranger ever being this good.

When he pulled away, all Marissa could think was wishing he would throw her up against the wall and make crazy sweet love to her, but all he did was smile down at her. She was expecting him to ask her to go back to his place, but Nick did no such thing. His words actually took her by surprise.

"I want to take you out."

Her eyes showed her surprise at his words, but she smiled at how out there the question was. Who was this guy? Now she was sure he wasn't a Dark-Hunter, because all she had ever heard of was what big man whores they were.

"Excuse me?"

"I want to take you out. Like on a date. Go out someplace nice, and I'll buy you dinner." Her saw her surprise and it worried him. What kind of guys did she go out with before that being asked out on a simple date surprised her. He felt like a perv for kissing her before taking her out first. Well… Twenty years ago maybe he wouldn't have. His immortality and aging was probably catching up to him as he appreciated how to treat a woman. "If that's okay with you."

His dimples made her weak in the knees as he smiled down at her. "Yeah. That would be great."

"What nights do you have off?" He asked.

She stopped to think. "I don't work Wednesday and Thursday."

"May I pick you up Wednesday night?" He asked sheepishly.

Her face showed her hesitation. She couldn't let him show up at her house. She lived at home during summer since the dorms were closed. If her Mom or Dad opened the door they would know this was the guy she said she'd ran into, and there was no way her father would let her leave with a Dark-Hunter. And NJ too… He'd probably jump him the second he saw him on his property.

"I can meet you somewhere." She said and saw that she'd offended him. "No offense, I don't mind you knowing where I live, but I think my brother would…"

Nick cursed. "Shit, I forgot all about that."

"It's okay. Like I said, maybe now he'll think twice before he tries to rough handle me."

"He better," Ambrose mumbled under his breath. Hearing him, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. That changed his mood. "Well, where ever you want to meet up, let me know, and I'll take you out."

"The moonwalk?"

Dimples showing once again, he nodded. "Sounds great. Six 'o clock okay?"

"Six is perfect."

Nick looked past her and saw Dev standing in the doorway watching them. "I better let you get back to work before you get fired."

Marissa nodded. "Well, thank you again, Ambrose."

"It was no problem. I'll see you Wednesday?"

She smiled. "It's a date."

* * *

"There you are!"

Marissa looked over her shoulder and saw Stephanie, Vanessa, Janet, and Mia sitting at a table. "What are you guys doing?"

"We said we'd come for your first night. Where were you?" Vanessa asked.

Mia stared at her for a few moments before sending her thoughts to Marissa. _Who's the guy?_

Marissa shot a look to Mia. _What are you talking about?_

_Don't play dumb Risi. You know I can read you._

Marissa closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating, and then a moment later she opened her eyes again and shot a smirk to Mia. _Try now._

Mia rolled her eyes. _Very mature Marissa. Block me out._

_Whatever works._

"What are you guys doing?" Janet asked. "You creep me out when you do that. It's like your talking to each other with your eyes, and no offense. Creepy."

"Sorry I wasn't here when you walked in. NJ came in and started some crap and I had to get some air before I killed him."

"What's his problem now?" Steph asked.

Marissa shook her head. "I'll tell you when I bring your drinks."

"We're actually ordering something from here?" Janet asked. She looked around the place as if totally repulsed. "It's a _biker_ bar."

_Why are you friends with this girl?_

_Shut up Mia. I've gone through school with her for over ten years._

"What do you guys want to drink?" She asked.

A few minutes later she returned with their drinks, and pretended to be taking orders for their meals when she was really dishing on what had happened with Ambrose.

"Funny. You run into the guy who looked like a _drug dealer_ in a _biker bar_." Janet pointed out. "Well, if he attacked Nick, I guess Prince Charming is out of the runnings to be the next Mr. Marissa Hunter."

"Something like that." Marissa said. "I actually went out and thanked him for standing up for me."

"For real?" Stephanie asked, excited for her friend. "Thatta girl!"

"What happened?" Vanessa probed.

Marissa felt a blush creep on her cheeks as she confessed, "I'm going out with him on Wednesday."

Mia's eyes nearly bulged out of the sockets. "Are you kidding me?"

"No," She squeaked, finally able to show her excitement.

"Well if it isn't my favorite niece." An older male voice said. The girls looked over to see a handsome man in his thirties walk up to Vanessa. Dressed as a biker, the guy totally fit into the Sanctuary scene, but took Janet and Stephanie by surprise when he gave Vanessa of all people a hug. "Your Mom has no idea you're in here, does she?"

Vanessa smiled. "Of course not. She'd freak. Hell, so would my Dad."

Eros smirked. "Don't worry. I won't rat you out."

"Thanks Uncle Eros."

Janet looked between the two. "Oh, ha, ha. You guys are just trying to make me think that rumor about Cupid playing pool here is true. Nice try Vanessa."

Eros looked to Janet. "What are you calling my niece a liar, mortal?"

"Good one." She laughed, and nudged Stephanie. "'C'mon guys I'm not that gullible. Cupid is a mythological character."

"I'll show you a mythological character-"

Eros went to pull his bow out, but Marissa stopped him, freezing him in place.

_Don't._

"I don't mess with your tricks, sorceress. So I'll play dirty and brings the Gods of Olympus with me if you don't release me." Eros' tone was threatening. "I saw you with the Malachai in the alley earlier. You don't want me going after him if you don't let me go, do you?"

_Touch him and I'll rip you to shreds, and send you to your precious Psyche in a gift wrapped box._

"Ris' let him go." Vanessa told her.

"If he promises to behave." Marissa didn't leave his gaze.

Cupid scoffed. "You don't tell me what to do."

She raised her eyebrows. "Oh really."

"Ah!" He cried. "Dammit, little girl, don't make me do something you'll regret."

Putting freezes on people was always dangerous. Especially if you knew how to break them, because once the person who was frozen broke out, whoever did the action got an electric shot through their body.

"Marissa!" Vanessa shouted, "C'mon! Let him go!"

Mia saw on-lookers catch on that something was going on, and she couldn't let suspicions get too high. She raised her hands and froze time all together, every human in the bar were statue still, whereas the Were's and other paranormal beings were curious to what had happened. "Okay, knock this shit off! Marissa let him go before I summon Acheron."

Marissa looked to Mia. _Don't you dare_.

"What's going on?" A deep Atlantean accent asked. "Eros, what the hell are you doing?"

Before Marissa could say anything she felt her freeze on Eros was gone. He let out a deep breath and straightened his clothes. "Do that again you little bitch and-"

Eros' windpipe was closing in as Ash held an unseen hand against Eros' throat. "If I ever hear you talk to her that way again, I will see to it, that you spend the rest of eternity trapped in greeting cards."

Holding his hands up Eros knew better than to argue. "Okay. I'll walk away like this never happened."

"And if I ever catch you threatening my God-Child, or any of her friends, I won't have mercy next time." Ash let his grip on Cupid go as he turned to Janet. "Everything you just saw, didn't happen. All your beliefs on the supernatural are still the same." Turning to Marissa, and Mia, he patted their shoulders and gave them a squeeze, before dissolving in thin air and setting time back in motion.

Janet looked a bit lost as she looked around the bar. "What was I saying?"

Vanessa was eyeing Marissa, angry at how she'd treated her Uncle, but didn't say anything. "You weren't saying anything." She told her bitterly. "But I'm gonna catch you guys later."

Without a word, she and Eros left the table and walked away.

See now you're little mortal friend is making you get in fights with your immortal friends.

"Shut up, Mia!"

Her voice was loud enough to grab the attention of a few tables around her, and grab a curious look from Steph and Janet.

"Hey, girlie, can I talk to you?" Aimee stood beside Marissa, and she didn't look pleased.

Her shoulders sunk as the shock overtook her face. She followed Aimee to the back. I'm so fired.

"You're not fired."

"Are you serious? Why not?"

Aimee looked at her curiously. "Do you want to be fired?"

"Of course not, but it doesn't make sense. Day one-hell, hour one-"

"I have over ten brothers. My mother died many years ago, and I'm raising five boys right now. It's nice to have a girl around to break up the testosterone that's continuously surrounding my crazy life."

Marissa was confused now. "So, within an hour of me working here, my brother comes in and gets a fight started, and then I get back inside where my friends have shown up and nearly take out Cupid, and you're keeping me around because…?"

Aimee laughed. "Girl, Dark-Hunters go after Daimons all the time. They're not supposed to in here, but that wasn't your fault. And I know that your brother wasn't a daimon and I'm not sure why Nick went after him because the boy knows better," Marissa had to bite her tongue to defend that her brother didn't start the fight, but knew better than to argue with her boss. "But besides the point, it's nothing new for us here. And when you and Eros were having your little thing, you were keeping rationale as where he wasn't."

Marissa nodded. "I still think you should fire me."

"I'll fire you when you mess up orders, when you're rude, or if you don't bring peace. Like I was explaining, other people were the ones bringing chaos. You just happen to keep drawing it to you."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I just want you to know that a lot worse things have to happen before I cut you lose."

Marissa nodded. "Glad to know I've got the worlds coolest boss."

Laughing, "That you do. That you do."

* * *

"The Malachai is in New Orleans."

"What is your source?"

"He came into the bar Sanctuary tonight. Thought this boy was a Daimon and attacked. I'm surprised he wasn't thrown out and banished, especially after all the work the Peltiers had to go through to get their license back."

"So you were there."

"Yes My Lord."

Noir paused, but his anger came forth anyway. "Then why am I standing here having this conversation with you when you should be capturing me my Malachai!"

The small creature curled into a ball, hiding in the shadows. "I'm sorry My Lord, but he was with a very powerful sorceress. I'm unaware of her abilities, but I've never seen an aura of power as I have hers."

"You useless rat! Scared of a female! How did you end up on my service to begin with?"

The creature shook in fear. "I believe I do know who the girl was, Sir."

"What's going on in here?" It was Azura, emerging from the shadows into Noir's lair. She looked to the creature quivering in the corner. "What a disgusting little vermin. Why is he here and still breathing without our Malachai?"

Noir looked to his servant. "You better have good enough information if you want you life spared you little worm."

"I'm under a ninety-nine percent assumption that the girl holds the balance of all good and evil. That she's the one born to tame the most primal powers that came forth of the Source."

Noir eyed him curiously. "What makes you believe this?"

"I believe this because many years ago the Daimon King, Strykerius, was announcing that she was finally born, and he's wanted to possess her ever since. The girl looked the right age, and like I said, the aura of power… It was unbelievable, My Lord."

Azura looked bored. "You're evidence is weak, worm. Do you have anything else to prove she is who you believe her to be?"

The creature sighed. "No. I just found it odd that the Malachai didn't react to her or feel threatened. I saw her power, how did he not?"

That definitely rose Noir's suspicions. "She must have her powers shielded, and my only thinking for as to why you can see them and the Malachai can't is because you're a half bred demon who she wouldn't dream of ever running into."

"So you believe me, My Lord? That she is the balance of good and evil?"

Noir was silent for a moment, thinking over what he'd been told. "I believe, I'd have been much more happier with you had you brought me back my Malachai."

"No…" The creature knew what was coming.

"Say goodnight my very unfaithful servant." And before anyone else could blink, Noir shot a blast to the creature, splattering him all across the walls. "Have Jaden come in and clean up the mess. Make him useful for today."

As Noir went to leave his lair, a light struck in Azura's eyes. "Jaden…" She grabbed Noir by his arm to stop him from leaving. "Do you think he could investigate into this?"

"Into what?"

"Into seeing if this girl really is who that little creature claimed her to be."

Noir shrugged. "So what if she is? All I want is the Malachai so I can go forth with my plans of taking down the Greeks once and for all. So I can make Lord King Lightning Butt up there my bitch and have him grovel at my feet on his knees."

"What of Apollo?"

He looked to his sister. "We'll see how loyal he really is when all is said and done. But legend has it that when the destruction of the world happens, that he and his precious sister Artemis are the first to go."

She looked upset. "So we won't get to kill him?"

Noir smirked. "If it means that much to you, sister, I'll see what I can do."

She eyed him seductively. A way that would make any sane being sick. "I can't wait until our plan goes into effect."

"Neither can I, love. Neither can I."


End file.
